Carlos Hathcock – the name carries almost as much weight in the hearts of American shooters as it struck fear into the hearts of Viet Cong guerillas and North Vietnamese soldiers in the Viet Nam War. His record as a scout/sniper earned him the nickname “Long Trang” among the men he fought. The name translates to “White Feather,” which was a reference to the feather he wore in his cap in the field. But few know that Hathcock was also an accomplished competition shooter before entering into combat in Viet Nam. In 1965, Hathcock won the Wimbledon Cup as a member of the USMC Rifle Team, placing first in the prestigious 1000-yard match for scope-sighted long-range rifles at the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. Hatchcock’s riflery skills were true talents that were nurtured by shooting game for food during his school years in Arkansas. But, it was when he joined the military at the age of seventeen that he came into his own as a real marksman.

Though he is widely known for the number of enemy soldiers he killed, Hatchcock wanted to be known and remembered for his skills and as a scout/sniper “who saved the lives of fellow Marines in the Vietnam War.” Aside from the men he helped train to stay alive while pursuing their dangerous assignments as scout/snipers, Gunny Hatchcock is credited with saving the lives of seven Marines who were riding on an armored vehicle when it hit a 500 lb mine. As a result of his heroism, Hatchcock received burns over forty percent of his body. After thirteen skin grafts and nearly twenty years of service in the Marine Corps, during which time he was instrumental in training hundreds of scout/snipers, Hathcock retired. Later he was awarded the Silver Star for saving the seven Marines. Sadly, on February 26, 1999 Hathcock died of multiple sclerosis at the age of fifty-six.

In memory of Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock II, and in honor of his dedicated service and outstanding skill as a marksman, a trophy is to be commissioned and placed on permanent display at the Civilian Marksmanship Program Headquarters as part of the National Trophy Collection at Camp Perry. The trophy will depict Gunny Hathcock with the rifle with an M1 rifle. The trophy will be awarded to the Marine shooter in the National Trophy Rifle Matches who fires the highest combined score in the President’s Rifle Match, the National Trophy Individual Match and the National Trophy Team Match.

A committee has been established to oversee the trophy project, including raising the funds to create the trophy. The Civilian Marksmanship Program Board of Directors has approved the trophy proposal and design. Funds are currently being raised to meet the $15,000 total needed to commission the actual creation of the trophy by an artist who has been selected by the Hathcock Trophy Committee. In a generous effort to bolster donations, Springfield Armory, Inc. donated a limited edition M25 White Feather™ Tactical/Carlos Hathcock Model M1A rifle to be raffled to benefit the trophy fund. For more information on this rifle see the Springfield Armory web page at http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod-rifles-m25.shtml. For every ten dollars donated, interested parties will receive one entry in the raffle. The estimated value of the Springfield Armory rifle is over $4000. To make a donation and enter the raffle, send donations to the following address:

The Hathcock Trophy Fund
c/o Jim Vose, Fund Coordinator
11 William St.
Lincoln ME 04457